


Because We Were Friends

by sebasstianstan



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Childhood Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fights, Flashbacks, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-09 17:10:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5548595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sebasstianstan/pseuds/sebasstianstan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If there was one thing that Arin couldn't stand, it was Daniel fucking Avidan.  Just thinking about the name made his blood start to boil. Just because the two used to be best friends and their parents are close doesn't mean that things would always be that way.<br/><br/>Arin can't stand Dan, and Dan loathes Arin. They've been throwing punches since the beginning of high school, so why is it that when Dan needs a place to crash for one night, Arin decides to take him up on the offer? It's not something he would ever normally think of doing, and it turns out to bring up a lot of old memories for the two that they chose to bury.<br/><br/>Why did they start to hate each other anyway?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Daily Routine

**Author's Note:**

> Dan and Arin get into a fight, but that's just how it goes.

If there was one thing in this world that Arin couldn't stand, it was Daniel fucking Avidan. Just thinking about the name made his blood start to boil. Though it seemed like some crazy tall tale now, the two had actually been friends at one point; best friends, even. Though, that probably only happened anyway since their parents had always been close with one another. But, as soon as the two started heading out of elementary school and into that awkward stage of puberty, they just sort of…drifted. And once high school hit, there was no going back to the way things once were; now Arin and Dan hated each others’ guts. To be honest, Arin couldn’t really think of the reason for it, he just knew that was the way it was, and looking at Dan- even hearing his name being mentioned- had him on edge and ready to lash out if need be. 

Arin wasn’t really a fighting type of guy; sure he did admit he had a slight anger management problem, but that was besides the point. Arin had never thrown a punch at a single person in his life until he and Dan started their little dispute with each other. After that, he just remembered Dan talking shit on him as usual and the next thing he knew Dan was thrown backwards a bit and his hand stung. That first fight led to many, many others, and now every time the two boys cross paths they’re lunging for each others’ throats.

During Arin’s little reminiscing of his ongoing assault with Dan, he had zoned out enough to not really pay attention to where he had been walking in the hall until he let out a grunt as his body collided with another and he was pushed back a bit, the sketchbook in his hands clattering to the ground. 

He huffed, looking up towards the other person, his mouth open as he was about to quickly apologize for bumping into the other. That was, until he saw who he ran into. 

Speak of the devil.

“Fuck’s sake, Hanson, why don’t you look where you’re going for once?” came the oh so familiar complaining voice of Dan.

Arin merely snapped his mouth shut, glaring up at the slightly taller male and clenching his fists at his sides out of habit.

“Oh I’m sorry, princess, I didn’t mean to twist your panties,” Arin said, smirking a bit. “Oh, my mistake, they’ve always been that way.” 

Arin could practically feel the rage radiating from Dan, and he just gave a light chuckle, reaching down to pick his sketchbook back up. He almost had his hand around it, but before he could get a good grasp, Dan’s foot came down on top of the cover and kicked it backwards down the school’s hallway. Arin stayed still in shock for a moment before he scowled, standing back up to look Dan in the eye, the other boy now having the smirk on his face. 

“Oh sorry, did you need that?” Dan questioned sarcastically, chuckling as Arin stomped the short distance over to where his sketchbook had been pushed down the hallway. He noticed before he even got to it that the cover was now ripped.

“Aw, well look at that, princess, guess you’ll go have to cry to mommy to get a new one,” Dan mocked, Arin growling before turning back around and reaching out to shove Dan harshly into the wall, the other not even flinching from being so accustomed to their little battles. There’s already been countless amounts of times either of the two have left the school with something bruised or bleeding.

“Go fuck yourself, Avidan,” Arin spat out, closing in on Dan’s personal space.

Dan only scoffed, shoving back at Arin to try and take control of the situation. “You know I would, but I can actually get girls for that, unlike some people.”

This only proved to further Arin’s rage, leaving the two wrestling against the wall for a bit, a few short punches being thrown here and there before one of the history teachers came out from his classroom to break up the brawl that most teachers in the school had to do at some point or another. It was just the daily routine by now.

“Avidan, Hanson, knock it off!” he shouted, pulling the two apart from each other and standing in between to stop any further attacks. He took note of Arin’s slightly bloody nose and sighed, shaking his head a bit. “Get on down to the nurse, Hanson. And as for you,” he started, turning towards Dan. “Get to class. Now,” he said sternly, leaving no room for argument. All the staff knew by now that sending them to the office at the same time did nothing but keep the fighting going, so they disciplined them each later and individually. 

Arin only sighed, slumping down a bit now that his adrenaline was dwindling back down. He grabbed for his sketchbook again, picking it up and starting down towards the nurse’s office. 

“Later, Leigh,” he called, Dan making a final lunge at Arin at the use of his actual name before he was ushered off towards the classrooms. 

There was going to be shit to pay, that was for sure.


	2. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arin and Dan bump into each other again after a few days, and this time, Dan is pissed. More so than usual.

The next time Arin saw Dan it was a few days after their latest little fight. It was surprising how long they had gone without running into each other really since usually they would see each other in the halls or just out and about the town. Not that Arin was really complaining though; the less he saw Dan the better. But, when they did see each other again, Dan was not happy. Once they were close enough to each other in the hallway, Dan immediately reached out and shoved Arin against the lockers along the wall.   Arin let out a huff as his back collided with the metal and he managed to mutter out, “Ah Jesus, dude. What the fuck crawled up your ass?”

“Have you been snitching on me again, Hanson?” Dan questioned, obviously infuriated by something that had happened.

Arin sighed. “No, Avidan,” he started, almost snarling as he let out the name. “I haven’t been saying sh-“

“Don’t you fucking lie,” Dan interjected quickly, still hanging onto the front of Arin’s shirt and shoving him harder against the lockers.

Arin only huffed, shoving slightly back to try and get Dan out of his face. He knew exactly what he was talking about. Dan was a big smoker in the school, everybody knew that, and they all also knew that he was way into pot. It wasn’t a big secret. And Arin may or may not have told about how Dan and his friends had been lighting one up in the bathroom during school. Well, he didn’t so much tell on them as he did start a rumor around that turned out to be true. He had only initiated that the one time though, since he didn’t really care what the fuck Dan did with his life, and now every time Dan gets caught for even the littlest things, he’s sure to blame it on Arin first.

“Look, I don’t snitch about any of your dumb shit, alright? I don’t give a fuck about any of it anyway, so just back off,” Arin grumbled, though he knew the other didn’t even remotely believe him. 

“Yeah, right,” Dan said with a scoff, giving Arin a smirk that had the other looking at him warily. He was up to something. “Well you know, if you’re so interested in telling all my secrets, I guess you wouldn’t mind if I told some of yours to people. Like, oh jeez I don’t know, to your mom maybe?” he finished, grinning at Arin, knowing he had his full attention now.

Arin only hesitated for a long minute before shaking his head slightly. “You don’t know jack about me or my secrets,” he said, narrowing his eyes a bit defensively at the other.

“Is that so? Maybe we’ll have to test that out then,” Dan said, giving Arin a final, small shove before he stepped back and started off down the halls again. Before he could even take two steps, though, Arin grabbed ahold of his jacket and pulled him back roughly, now shoving Dan to the wall.

“No, that’s bullshit,” Arin growled out. “You’re a goddamn bullshitter.” 

Dan only proceeded to laugh at that, pushing Arin away from him. “Think so, huh? Well if I was a bullshitter how would I know that you haven’t told your mom that you’re failing all of your classes and you’re into wearing dresses and all that shit sometimes?” he questioned, adding on after a moment’s thought, “Oh yeah, and that you’re fucking gay!” he uttered mock incredulously.

Arin could feel his face start to heat up and his mind start to shut down. How did Dan know all of that about him? It’s not as if any of it was the kind of secrets he kept way back when he and Dan actually knew each other and told the other about this kind of stuff. This was recent, and Arin’s only told his close friends now about most of it. 

He tried to think of something at least somewhat witty to retort to Dan, or at least deny any of it from being true, but all he could manage to do was open and close his mouth a few times, the only sound that managed to come out was akin to a whimper.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought,” Dan said with a chuckle, shoving past Arin and patting his shoulder patronizingly as he left. 

‘Fuck,’ Arin thought, squeezing his eyes shut and clenching his jaw to keep from screaming. How the fuck had Dan found out any of that? He knew it wouldn’t be like his friends to spew out his secrets like that. Whatever it was though, he had to make sure Dan didn’t manage to tell any of it to his parents, especially his mom. He’d be in a fuckload of trouble then.

He needed to go talk to Suzy. Maybe she would know what to do.


	3. Suzy's Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suzy's always been the one to give Arin good advice, but he doesn't seem to agree with it this time. Worth a shot though, right? After all, she's never been wrong before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter's a bit shorter and more dialogue heavy. I kind of rushed through to get it up quickly. Hope you enjoy anyway!

Arin didn’t tell Suzy about what had last happened between him and Dan until they arrived at her house after school. Going over one another’s houses after school ended was something they did pretty often, being best friends and all. Arin knew he could talk to her about anything, and she always gave him good advice on what to do; they worked that way. 

As soon as they had gotten to Suzy’s room, she immediately turned to Arin, sensing how his mood had changed so quickly. She gave him a look before sitting down on her bed and patting the spot next to her. 

Arin sighed, dropping his bag and walking to the bed, plopping down next to Suzy and leaning his head on her shoulder. 

“What’s got you so upset, Arin?” she asked softly, petting his hair.

Arin just gave a small huff, taking a minute before answering. 

“Dan knows a lot about me,” he mumbled, recalling their earlier conversation.

“Well sure he does. You two did used to be close and your parents are still friends right? Plus our school-“  “No, Suzy, he knows a lot about me. Like things that I’ve only ever told to you, Barry, and Ross,” Arin interjected, jerking his head up suddenly from Suzy’s shoulder to look at her.

Suzy took in the new information, thinking over all the things she knew were secret to Arin. 

“Okay,” she said slowly, nodding. “So what do you want to do about it?” She knew it was no use in asking how Dan had found out about all of Arin’s secrets when Arin probably didn’t even know.   Arin scoffed. “I wanna kick the shit out of him that’s what,” he muttered angrily before sighing and shaking his head. “But I don’t know. Maybe he’ll fucking be a little tattletale bitch if I do.”

Suzy rolled her eyes. Anytime Dan was even mentioned, Arin’s only response was that he wanted to beat him up, even if their was no good reason for it.

“Why don’t you just try being civil with him for once?” she asked for probably the dozenth time that week. “And before you say no,” she started as she saw Arin about to burst into laughter, “think about it. Fighting won’t do you any good, any have you even tried being even somewhat friendly with him in the past, what, five years?” she questioned, raising her brow at Arin. 

Arin thought it over for a minute before shaking his head defeatedly. Once he and Dan started fighting, there was no stopping it. They just hated each other. It was the way things were meant to be.

“My point exactly,” Suzy said victoriously, patting Arin on the back a few times. “Just give it a shot, Arin. You never know, maybe Dan will start being nice to you too.”

Arin rolled his eyes dramatically at that, scoffing disbelievingly. That would never happen. Not in a million years.

“I’ll take your word for it, Suze,” he muttered, standing up and collecting his bag from the ground. He had to get home soon anyway. “See you tomorrow.”

Arin left Suzy’s house thinking over what she had said for the whole walk home. He might actually give it a shot; not being nice to Dan, but… just trying not to start a fight with him like usual. Maybe things would turn out to be different from it, whether the outcome was good or bad. It was worth a shot at least.


End file.
